0 In Decor/ Style Guide

How to Create an Industrial Gallery Wall

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Hi! This Industrial gallery wall post is part of the Style Guide series of home decor posts that will help you identify your signature style. Is Industrial Decor for you? See if you identify with these 7 signs!

Previously: Boho Decor (style guide + gallery wall) & Minimalist Decor (style guide + gallery wall) & Modern Coastal Decor (style guide + gallery wall) & Modern Farmhouse (style guide + gallery wall) & Modern Glam Decor (style guide + gallery wall) & Mid-Century Modern Decor (style guide + gallery wall)

Now that we’ve discussed what Industrial decor looks like, and how to achieve that look, let’s get to the heart of the matter: What the heck should you put on your walls?

I got pretty detailed here, with five gallery wall examples, but keep in mind this is a starter kit. You may like some ideas and not others. Mix and match till you find your true style.

Let’s get started!

Industrial Gallery Wall

First, I’ll briefly go over a few key elements that drive an industrial gallery wall, and why.

1. Cityscape photography

Why this works: Cityscapes and industrial spaces go hand-in-hand. If you dig that big-city vibe and exposed brick warehouse lofts, you have an architect’s eye for the bones of a building. This goes for broad, sweeping city views as well as more focused, artistic studies of a singular building. Focus on the lines and the geometry of the design, and you’ll see what I mean.

2. Blueprints and steampunk gears

Why this works: Similar to the cityscape photography, only blueprints take the inventor vibe down to the very core. Blueprints and patent designs for everything from buildings to the lightbulb — the odder the better in this case. Take the inventor touch a step further with clocks and mirrors that include exposed gears and metal pipes. Show the inner breakdown of the way things work.

3. Science, math & the macabre

Why this works: Think of your industrial space as a museum of curiosities. On one hand, you can have illustrations from 1960s science textbooks that break down the molecule, on the other a vintage rendering of lungs or a phrenology map. It all comes back to the industrialist’s fascination with the way things work.

4. Vintage maps

Why this works: Not only are industrialists all about science and invention, they’re also about exploration. Vintage maps are the perfect accessory to an industrial gallery wall because they indicate not just where you want to go, but they also remind you of where we’ve been.

5. Graphic Designs

Why this works: Art that mimics science and basic shapes in a minimalist fashion — read: geometric shapes — is right at home in an industrial space. Look for triangles, circles and spirographs. If they are overlapping or otherwise highlighting the differences between one another, even better. Slightly off-kilter? Even more interesting. The more you can unravel in the negative space, the more it encourages invention and creative thinking.

6. Graphic bodyscapes or fashion art

Why this works: Line drawings of human forms, hands, eyes, etc., anything that brings a unique viewpoint to the human body and its components is an unexpected and fun addition to an industrial gallery wall and is a nice juxtaposition with the more rigid elements like maps, cityscapes and scientific fare.

Next, let’s put these into practice, shall we?

Industrial Gallery Wall #1

Please note: These mockups are not to scale. They are just for fun. Check the dimensions of the art to make sure it will fit your space before buying!

1. Origami printable
2. Joni Majer 1 Art Print

3. Yes printable
4. Guggenheim print
5. Retro German Astronaut Space Print